WASHINGTON — Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise, a former state representative, today joined a growing field of Republican candidates interested in replacing U.S. Rep. Dave Trott, a Republican from Birmingham.

Last month, Trott — who is in his second two-year term — announced he would not run for re-election in 2018, saying he wanted to return to private life and spend more time with his family.

Heise, who was term-limited in the state Legislature last year, joins a field of Republican candidates that includes former state Rep. A. Rocky Raczkowski of Troy and businesswoman Lena Epstein, who helped run President Donald Trump's successful campaign in Michigan last year.

Other Republicans are said to be looking into joining the race, as well.

“We all know Washington isn’t working. It’s become a swamp of greed and gridlock that hinders the American dream. Politicians on both sides refuse to do their jobs, and we get stagnation instead of solutions,” Heise said.

Heise's campaign touted his experience in pushing for criminal justice reform and clean water policies. He also was known for initially promoting legislation to exempt information about energy infrastructure — potentially including the Line 5 pipeline at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac — from public disclosure as a matter of security.

Heise's entrance in the race suggests that Republicans consider the race eminently winnable, though some political handicappers have labeled Michigan's 11th congressional district a toss-up with Trott's decision not to run.

The 11th is comprised of parts of Oakland and western Wayne counties and is considered Republican-leaning, with Trump winning there in the last election. But several Democrats have filed to try to challenge the GOP for a seat there, including former Obama administration official Haley Stevens, former Detroit Office of Immigrant Affairs director Fayrouz Saad and Birmingham businessman Dan Haberman, who announced last week.